Around the bay in January 2009

Published: January, 2009 

Plasma Sculptures Roll Through FLOAT Gallery

Plasma is commonly described in nature as the fourth state of matter and is also known as the most widespread phenomena in the universe. A rare and highly experimental art form, plasma sculptures use high voltage transformers and hand-blown or found glass to capture not only our imagination, but hold hostage and manipulate noble gases to create contained kinetic magic. Plasma rarely occurs naturally on earth, and when it does, its effects are visually and energetically dramatic like the Aurora Borealis, commonly known as the Northern Lights, seen as energy pours into earth’s atmosphere. Plasmas have only recently been incorporated into a variety of sculptural art forms creating illuminated sculptures that have the ability to display a visual lighting effect of movement and colors found in no other medium. Although this technology is considered cutting edge, and in its infancy, much has been learned to be able to create and control specific and desired effects. Yet, it is likely that there is still much yet to be discovered. The exhibit’s closing party is on January 10th from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and will also feature paintings by Sally Rodriguez. FLOAT, located at 1091 Calcot Place, Unit 116 in Oakland, is the only floatation center and art gallery in the San Francisco Bay Area. Floatation therapy is a unique and powerful tool that allows you to shut out the world and drift into the deepest possible level of physical and mental relaxation. For more information, call (510) 535-1702 or visit www.thefloatcenter.com.

The eighth annual Dine About Town San Francisco returns January 15 - 31. Diners may select from more than 100 Bay Area restaurants, each offering prix-fixe lunches for $21.95 and/or dinners for $34.95, exclusive of tax and gratuity. A la carte menus will also be available. The extensive restaurant list is posted on the Dine About Town San Francisco Web site www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com/taste/dineabouttown. Dates and times of participation vary by restaurant. Reservations are encouraged and may be made online through a partnership with OpenTable.com. Information is also available by calling (415) 391-2000. On Jan. 14, meet Dine About Town featured chefs at a launch party in the Cellar at Macy’s Union Square beginning at 6 p.m. With a $20 donation to Meals On Wheels, guests will receive 10 tasting tickets to sample offerings from select Dine About Town restaurants. The evening will also include wine tastings and a keepsake Only in San Francisco wine glass. Tickets for the launch event may be reserved at www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com/taste/dineabouttown. Space is limited.

On Monday, January 19 from 12:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m., PIER 39 celebrates the 19th Anniversary of the Sea Lions’ arrival.  Visit the sea lions hauled out on K-Dock and learn interesting sea lion fun facts from the Marine Mammal Center’s experts.  Stop by the Whale Bus to learn more about the fascinating marine mammals that reside in our San Francisco Bay.  To commemorate the sea lions’ anniversary, all proceeds from rides on the new San Francisco Carousel during this time will benefit The Marine Mammal Center, an organization which fosters marine mammal survival and the conservation of their habitat. For more information, visit www.pier39.com.

For 82 years, the Harlem Globetrotters have thrilled audiences around the world, playing over 25,000 games and entertaining everyone from Presidents to Popes. Some of the most recognized names in basketball history have entertained audiences in the Globetrotter uniform including Wilt Chamberlain, Meadowlark Lemon and Curly Neal. Today a new generation of stars carries on this storied tradition with timeless basketball exhibitions. The Harlem Globetrotters dribble into the Oracle Arena in Oakland on Saturday, January 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, January 18 at 2:00 p.m. For more information visit www.coliseum.com.

The Jazz Heritage Center, San Francisco’s only permanent cultural and educational complex dedicated to jazz, is currently holding its first exhibition, Harlem of the West…Revisited. Lasting until March 7, the Jazz Heritage Center will feature art and photography from the Fillmore bustling jazz era of the 1940s and 1950s. This free exhibit celebrates a unique and rediscovered chapter in jazz history and the African-American experience on the West Coast. The exhibition includes two different components: Harlem of the West, featuring nearly sixty rare archival photographs of the Fillmore at its height, and Harlem of the West…Revisited, an exhibit curated by the Jazz Heritage Center to compliment Harlem of the West and consisting of original photographs, paintings and murals. Located within the new Fillmore Heritage Center in the heart of the Historic Fillmore Jazz Preservation District, the non-profit Jazz Heritage Center is part jazz museum, part jazz cultural center, and part jazz art gallery.  By showcasing art and historical exhibitions, concerts, films and youth programming, the JHC’s mission is to preserve and promote jazz, an American national treasure, while celebrating its presence as an active, living art form in San Francisco and beyond. The JHC includes the Lush Life Gallery, the JHC Public Lobby, the Take Five Gift Shop, and, soon, the JHC Screening and Presentation Room. Visit www.jazzheritagecenter.org for more information.

The 136-foot sailing schooner Bill of Rights is currently hosting the experiential education program Age of Sail at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park through February while the Park’s 1886 Balclutha takes some well-earned R&R in a local drydock for painting, and other minor repairs. Ranger-led tours of the Bill of Rights will be included in the park’s regular entrance fee. The Bill of Rights is operated by The American Tall Ship Institute (www.americantallship.org), a volunteer non-profit organization which is currently developing marine education programs focusing on the maritime region around the Channel Islands, off the coast of southern California. The wooden schooner is certified to carry 90 students on day sails, and up to 30 on overnight voyages. She is 136 feet long, has a draft of 10 feet, and her masts are 100 feet high. Tours will be available most days. Call ahead to check on the schedule at (415) 447-5000 or visit http://www.nps.gov/safr.